Biker who braved rains to push safety barricades aside says she did it to prevent a jam

Hodaka marketing manager Kevin Liew with rider Nur Liyana Mohamed Sazali who had moved the barricades in the heavy rain. PHOTO: HODAKA MOTOWORLD

SINGAPORE - Netizens were full of praise for a motorcyclist who pushed safety barricades away from the path of other motorists during a heavy downpour on Monday (Jan 23).

The deed was caught on video and uploaded online, attracting such comments on Facebook as "well done, bro" and "awesome, bro" for the rider's civic-mindedness.

As it turns out, the "bro" who had braved the wet conditions in the minute-long clip, is a female biker.

While pleasantly surprised by the praises, Ms Nur Liyana Mohamad Sazali said she had moved the barricades as she did not want other motorists to be inconvenienced.

Said Ms Liyana, 30, a food delivery rider: "I didn't know that somebody had filmed me. I thought if I didn't move the safety barriers back to the side of the road, there would be a traffic jam."

It was past 8am and Ms Liyana had just dropped off her friend in town. As she neared OUE Downtown in Shenton Way, she saw the barricades being pushed by strong winds, blocking two lanes on the road.

Somebody filmed her from a nearby taxi stand after she had parked her Yamaha at the side of the road.

"There were people around," said Ms Liyana. "But I guess nobody wanted to get wet."

The clip, which was posted on citizen journalism portal Stomp and straitstimes.com on Monday, has received more than 18,000 views so far.

On some motoring Facebook pages, netizens who later learnt it was Ms Liyana who had moved the barricades, expressed their gratitude to her.

Netizen Francis Chong, said: "Thank you, Ms Liyana. We love you for your spontaneous action and effort."

Another netizen Khalid Hilmi said: "Not all heroes wear capes, some wear (raincoats)."

Aside from her Facebook friends and some colleagues, few knew about what she did. Ms Liyana said she was "proud to be acknowledged" and did not mind being mistaken for a man.

She added: "Even my employer doesn't know it was me on the (video) clip. I don't blame people who thought I was a male biker. I'm the rugged type."

But this samaritan's deed did not go unnoticed. Motorcycle apparel company, Hodaka Motoworld, presented the biker with a token of appreciation for setting a good example.

Through Facebook contacts, Hodaka marketing manager Kevin Liew managed to get word out to Ms Liyana so the firm could present her with a new raincoat the next day.

Said Mr Liew, 27: "We were surprised because we weren't expecting a female rider. We had initially prepared a guy's rain jacket. But we quickly pulled out a rain jacket for her."

Ms Liyana was rewarded with an RS Taichi Dry Master rain jacket worth $130.

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